Christmas Cactus FAQs

Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist

Christmas cacti are not only popular holiday gift plants, but they are also the subject of frequent debate among gardeners. There appears to be much confusion about these unique tropical cacti regarding care, maintenance and, especially, on how to get them to re-bloom. The following tips address the most frequently asked questions.

We typically think of cacti as being heat tolerant, but Christmas cacti will keep their blossoms longer in cooler temperatures. Keep the plant in a well-lit location away from drafts from heat vents, fireplaces or other sources of hot air. Drafts and temperature extremes can cause the flower buds to drop from the plant before they have a chance to open.

Christmas cactus is a tropical type plant, not quite as drought tolerant as its desert relatives and, in fact, may drop flower buds if the soil gets too dry. The plants will wilt when under drought stress. Water thoroughly when the top inch or so of soil feels dry to the touch. The length of time between waterings will vary with the air temperature, amount of light, rate of growth and relative humidity.

The plant does not particularly need to be fertilized while in bloom, but most gardeners enjoy the challenge of keeping the plant after the holidays for re-bloom the next year. While plants are actively growing, use a blooming houseplant-type fertilizer and follow the label directions for how much and how often to feed.

While the Christmas cactus can adapt to low light, more abundant blooms are produced on plants that have been exposed to more light intensity. Keep your plants in a sunny location indoors. Plants can be moved outdoors in summer, but keep them in a shady or semi-shady location. Leaves may start to turn a bit red if exposed to excessive light. Too much direct sunlight can actually burn the leaves or may cause them to become limp. When it's time to bring the plants back inside in the fall, slowly adjust the plants to life indoors by gradually increasing the number of hours they spend indoors each day.

If your plant tends to dry out and/or wilt frequently, it may be time to repot the plant into a slightly larger container. Well-drained soil is a must for Christmas cactus. Use a commercially packaged potting mix for succulent plants or mix your own by combining two parts plain potting soil with one part clean sand or vermiculite.

Pruning your Christmas cactus after blooming will encourage the plant to branch out. Remove a few sections of each stem by pinching them off with your fingers or cutting with a sharp knife. These sections can be rooted in moist vermiculite to propagate new plants.

Christmas cactus will bloom if given long uninterrupted dark periods, about 12 hours each night. Begin the dark treatments in about mid-October to have plants in full bloom by the holidays. You can place the plants in a dark closet from about 8 P.M. - 8 A.M. each night for 6-8 weeks or until you see buds forming. Christmas cacti will also bloom if they are subjected to cool temperatures of about 50 to 55 degrees F, eliminating the need for the dark treatments. Plants should be blooming for the holidays if cool treatments are started by early November.

Other species of holiday cactus bloom at different times of the year and have slightly different growth habits. Christmas cacti have scalloped stem segments and bloom at the stem tips. Thanksgiving cacti have 2-4 pointy teeth along the edges of the sections and will bloom earlier than Christmas cactus if left to natural day-length. Easter cacti have rounded teeth along the segments and bloom primarily in the spring but may also periodically re-bloom at other times of year.

Weekly Outlook - Difficult to Anticipate Dec. 1 Corn Stocks Estimate

The USDA’s estimate of December 1, 2012 inventories of corn, to be released on January 11, 2013, will be one of the more important factors influencing the price of old crop corn in the first quarter of the new year. The estimate of soybean stocks may be somewhat less important because more is known about the level of consumption during the first quarter of the 2012-13 marketing year.

For soybeans, consumption during the first quarter of the marketing year is generally known because periodic export and crush estimates are available. Based on Census Bureau estimates for September and October and USDA inspection estimates through November, exports were near 613 million bushels. That would be slightly less than the record large exports of two years ago. Based on estimates from the National Oilseed Processors Association, the domestic crush during the first quarter was near 448 million bushels, the largest in five years.  <Read More>

Choosing Corn Hybrids for 2013

Hybrid selection is one of the most important management decisions a corn grower makes each year. It’s a decision that warrants a careful comparison of performance data. It should not be made in haste or based on limited data. Planting a marginal hybrid, or one not suitable for a particular production environment, imposes a ceiling on the yield potential of a field before it has been planted. In the Ohio Corn Performance Test (OCPT) (http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/corntrials/) it is not unusual for hybrid entries of similar maturity to differ in yield by 80 bu/A, or more, depending on test site.

Growers should choose hybrids best suited to their farm operation. Corn acreage, previous crop, soil type, tillage practices, desired harvest moisture, and pest problems determine the relative importance of such traits as drydown, insect and disease resistance, herbicide resistance, early plant vigor, etc. End uses of corn should also be considered - is corn to be used for grain or silage? Is it to be sold directly to the elevator as shelled grain or used on the farm? Are there premiums available at nearby elevators, or from end users, for identity-preserved (IP) specialty corns such as food grade or non-GMO corn? Capacity to harvest, dry and store grain also needs consideration. The following are some tips to consider in choosing hybrids that are best suited to various production systems.  <Read More>

Weekly Outlook - Will Corn and Soybean Prices Return to Pre-drought Levels?

March 2013 corn futures dropped below $5.50 in early May 2012 and were drifting lower when U.S. drought conditions turned prices higher starting in mid-June. The price of that contract peaked in early August, just short of the $8.50 mark. March 2013 soybean futures dropped below $11.50 in December 2011before South American drought conditions and then U.S. drought conditions sent that contract above $17.25 by mid-September 2012.

Corn prices have declined by more than $1.00 since the late summer peak, while soybean prices have declined by more than $3.00. The general expectation has been that prices of both commodities would return to pre-drought levels as early as 2013 as consumption adjusted to the lower supplies and as production rebounded in both South America and the U.S. The futures market currently reflects expectations that corn prices will moderate substantially from current levels by the fall of 2013 as larger crops are harvested in Argentina and then in the U.S. December 2013 futures, for example, are priced $.95 below December 2012 futures. The soybean market expects prices to moderate from current levels by the summer of 2013 as a large South American crop is harvested. August 2013 futures prices are nearly $.60 lower than March 2013 prices. Further price reductions are expected into the fall of 2013 as a larger U.S. crop is harvested. November 2013 futures are about $0.85 below the price of August 2013 futures. Still, the prices of both commodities for delivery in the 2013-14 marketing year are well above the levels prior to the drought of 2012. <Read More>

Horticulture Congress to Educate, Connect Growers

Farmers, growers and owners of agritourism businesses can gain new information in their fields and connect with other professionals at the Indiana Horticulture Congress and Trade Show in Indianapolis.

The congress, which typically draws more than 800 visitors yearly, will be held Jan. 22-24 at the Wyndham Indianapolis West, 2544 Executive Drive. The conference will feature speakers from around the state on a variety of topics in areas such as agritourism, fresh fruits and vegetables, wine grapes, organics, farmers markets and raw products. There will be luncheons, receptions, banquets, roundtables and lectures.

"Our educational sessions are designed to meet the needs of growers, with information on production practices, pest and disease control, processing, marketing, agritourism, food safety and legislative and regulatory concerns," said Peter Hirst, associate professor of horticulture at Purdue University. "The congress is also a wonderful opportunity to reacquaint with old friends and business contacts, as well as form new connections."

Coinciding with the congress is the trade show with more than 70 exhibitors from equipment, seed, processed food and irrigation companies. During the conference, attendees can participate in a cider contest by submitting two 1-gallon jugs of cider to the registration desk by noon that Wednesday, and can also bid in a silent auction to benefit the tree fruit and vegetable extension and research funds.

Certified private pesticide applicators may attend a recertification session on Wednesday or Thursday. There is a $10 fee to attend the session, and participants must know their private applicator license numbers. Additionally, licensed commercial applicators in category 1 may attend sessions for their continuing certification hours.

Early registration is due by Jan. 14 and must be accompanied by full payment in order to be processed. Fees do not include meals and will vary based on participants' membership in certain horticultural associations. Participants should visit www.inhortcongress.org to register. There will be a late fee of $20 added to the registration price for submissions after Jan. 14. Students and educators are eligible to receive free registration.

For more information, contact Tammy Goodale at 765-494-1296 or tgoodale@purdue.edu.

2012 Purdue Custom Farming Rate Survey Now Available

As you may recall, a year ago I posted information on the new process of developing the Purdue custom farming rate publication, EC-130 - Indiana Farm Custom Rates.  A new custom rate survey had been developed and was being distributed to farmers throughout the state via Extension-sponsored events.  The intent was to improve the quantity and quality of the data and improve the publication, with the hope of updating it each year.  Well, the effort was successful - 272 responses were received from 36 Indiana counties - and the new custom rate survey was released in early-2012. 

The data collection has begun for the 2013 publication and the new survey is available.  If you do custom work or hire custom work done on your farm and would be willing share the rates you charge and/or pay, please consider filling out the survey.  All data collected is voluntary and anonymous.  See the link below for the survey:

2012 Purdue Custom Farming Rate Survey 


            

Continued Support for Corn Prices

Corn prices peaked in August, moved sharply lower in September, and have been in a sideways pattern over the past two months. Within that sideways pattern, prices have moved higher over the past two weeks, with March 2013 futures trading within $0.10 of the post-September high. The recent rally has been fueled by some supply concerns and more optimism about near-term demand.

There are two concerns about potential supply of corn in 2013. First, the on-going wet weather in Argentina may reduce the magnitude of planted area of corn relative to intentions. Fewer acres would threaten the projected rebound in production. The USDA has forecast the 2013 harvest at a record 1.1 billion bushels, a third larger than the drought-reduced harvest of earlier this year. The USDA will update the forecast in the monthly World Agricultural Production report to be released on December 11, but a large change in that forecast is not expected this early in the season. During last year’s drought, the forecast of production was not reduced in December, but was reduced sharply in January and again in February. The potential implications of wet weather on acreage and yield are even more difficult to discern than the implications of drought conditions.  <Read More>